At the heart of the fossil fuel industry’s PR offensive is a new sprint for gas, fueled by Russia’s war on Ukraine and Moscow’s Decide Restrict natural gas supplies to Europe.
For an alliance of 17 large gas producers, including Egypt, the COP27 is “a great Chance Making the case for natural gas in the energy transition. “
delusion
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Europe has announced plans for 26 new liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals; trade Joining Egypt and Israel in backing gas extraction in the Eastern Mediterranean, European politicians have seek Gas projects deal with African countries.
Once a gas project is decided upon, it can take up to 10 years for production to begin.So the supply gap in Europe this year and next will be fillingif any, from existing producers such as Qatar, the US and Australia, rather than from new projects.
The danger is that, over the next decade, these projects will push the world further away from the goal of limiting global heating to 1.5 degrees Celsius (1.5°C) above pre-industrial levels.
This year’s UN climate summit is the first time oil and gas companies have been invited to a formal event.
International Energy Agency Say To achieve ‘net zero’, no new gas or oil fields, gas demand must be cut; UN Secretary-General António Guterres Say Investing in oil or gas production is “delusional” in June.
promote
Although natural gas produces only about half the carbon emissions per unit of energy that coal does, climate science shows that natural gas must be phased out.
In addition, methane (i.e., gas) leaks have been recognized as an important climate threaten: Over a 20-year time span, methane is 86 times more greenhouse-like than carbon dioxide.
However, in May, the European Commission Classification natural gas as a “sustainable” energy source under its investment classification rules, and in September the UK government supply New licenses for oil and gas fields in the North Sea.
It was these greenwashing rich governments, along with the oil companies, that turned COP27 into a climate catastrophe.
In Sharm el-Sheikh, African governments target gas projects on the continent as a means of economic development – but they ‘will not serve African communities’, warn Don’t Gas Africa, a coalition of civil society groups advocating for large-scale renewable energy rather than export-oriented fossil fuel production.
insufficient
Nigerian climate justice activist Nnimmo Bassey, Oilwatch International Coordinator, inform African governments’ pro-gas stance is “ecocide and intergenerational crime” that “perpetuates colonialism and ecological irresponsibility”.
Sharm el-Sheikh’s fossil fuel PR circus masks dire crisis at the heart of the talks: Door to chance of keeping global warming at 1.5°C is closing, researchers from Climate Action Tracker show in a definitive report Report About climate inaction.
The report shows that by the end of this century, the current policies of various countries will increase the global temperature by 2.2°C to 3.4°C.
Promises made at last year’s Glasgow talks to strengthen national targets (nationally determined contributions, or NDCs) have been broken; promises to exit coal have been broken; and rich countries have reneged once again on their promises to finance the global South’s energy transition.
In Sharm el-Sheikh, discussions on implementing an already inadequate decision have progressed slowly.
greenwashing
Representatives from outside the rich world angry at slow progress loss and damagethe principle that rich countries should pay for the billions of dollars in damages already caused by climate change—for example, this summer’s floods in Pakistan.
activist urge A windfall profit tax on fossil fuel companies for this purpose.
Brazen grandstanding by fossil fuel companies and government acquiescence have tested the confidence of campaign groups, climate scientists and others in the prospect of a top-down solution to the climate crisis.
Wealth and power are flaunted. Coca-Cola, the world’s number one plastic polluter, sponsored the talks. The delegates arrived by private jet.
Swedish activist Greta Thunberg stays away from Sharm El Sheikh, describe Negotiations are “an opportunity for leaders and those in power to gain attention, using many different kinds of greenwashing.”
strength
She angered the right when she told her book launch in London that a “system-wide transformation” was needed rather than incremental steps at the COP commentator and Technotopia.
But Thunberg is reflecting on deep feelings anger Among the campaign groups are those that have pinned their hopes on the COP process for years.
Supported by more than 450 organizations call Create a UN accountability framework to “end corporate capture”; kick “big polluters” out of climate negotiations; require representatives to publicly disclose their interests; prohibit polluters from partnering or sponsoring negotiations; and ease restrictions on civil society access.
Protests and direct action against government missteps have regained momentum after being disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, as climate talks drift towards greenwashing.
“There’s a movement in the streets [about climate change]but has not yet been translated into political power.
at the same time
“The problem is the power of the government, and their alliance with the fossil fuel companies. There will be no transition away from fossil fuels until we break that relationship.”
So are climate negotiations part of the problem, or part of the solution?
It’s not just activists who are making demands. The United Nations Environment Program’s latest “Emissions Gap Report” described their findings as “proof of insufficient action on the global climate crisis and called for a rapid transformation of society.” “
With “little progress” since the Glasgow talks in 2021, the government’s current policies are on track to lead to a 2.8°C rise in temperatures by 2100, the report said. “Multiple major transformations must be initiated in this decade, simultaneously in all [fossil fuel-based technological] system. “
convert
Thirty years of history is important.Climate scientists shared on social media ahead of Egypt talks graphics Indicates that the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is rising, from about 360 parts per million (ppm) in 1992 when the Rio climate treaty was signed, to 420 ppm today. The inexorable growth of fossil fuel use is the main reason.
The coalition of the world’s most powerful nations negotiating a climate deal is not only unwilling, but also unable to do what needs to be done.
To prevent dangerous global warming, systems must change—not just technological systems, but economic and social systems as well.
The function of these governments is to protect and manage these systems, not to transform them. Society as a whole will have to ignore these governments and deal with climate change.
the author
Simon Pirani is an emeritus professor at Durham University, UK, and author of Burning out: A global history of fossil fuel consumption (Pluto, 2018). As a Senior Research Fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Research (2007-21), Pirani authored numerous papers and book chapters on energy economics and the fracking gas industry in Russia, Ukraine and the Caspian region.He wrote a blog at peoplenature.org. Follow him on Twitter: @SimonPirani1. This article first appeared on the truth came out!
